IM-to-mobile phone call services allow IM clients on various computer hardware and software platforms (e.g., ICQ™, Microsoft Network (MSN) Messenger™, Yahoo Messenger™, Skype™) to communicate with mobile systems on cellular (wireless) networks. Such services have been implemented, for example, by Skype Limited, under the SkypeOut™ brand name. However, any connection enabled by such services raises billing problems. Particularly, it raises the question of who should bear the cost of the communication—whether it should be the initiator of the call; the recipient; or both of them. In the case of both the initiator and the recipient bearing the cost, a further question is what portions of the cost should be borne by each.
Conventionally, billing of IM-to-mobile calls is achieved in a number of different ways. Under the MSN Messenger™ model, the IM client can send instant messages to cellular devices for free. The instant messages are then translated into Short Message Service (SMS) messages. In this case, the service costs are typically borne by the cellular operator, but the responses by the mobile client are always subject to payment. In other words, only one party to the communication is required to pay for its share. Under a second model, the cellular customer may also be subject to payment for incoming SMS messages. This service is for message exchange only.
Yet another billing model is provided by the Skype™ software. Using the software, a user of the SkypeOut™ service can initiate Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) voice calls or mobile (or cellular) voice calls to a standard handset in certain countries from his IM client. Unlike computer-to-computer IM communication services, users do have to pay for this kind of service. In addition, the IM users are required to register in advance and to provide credit card numbers as a condition for using the system.
Conventional billing solutions described above have certain drawbacks. Having the recipient of the call bear the costs of the communication under the MSN Messenger™ model may expose the recipient for payment for unsolicited calls, which may negatively affect the number of users wishing to connect to the service.
Having the initiator of the call bear the costs of the communication, fully or partially, is equally problematic. IM services are usually provided on the Internet for free, and hence users may be reluctant to bear the cost of such communication. Additionally, billing IM users requires registration and provision of billing methods (such as credit card details), which may negatively affect the number of users willing to join such service. Therefore, it is desirable to provide IM-to-mobile phone services without burdening the users with pre-registration requirements and/or costs on unsolicited messages or calls.
Another problem with conventional technology is that a mobile phone user is prevented from initiating IM communication with an IM user. More particularly, mobile phones do not include any mechanism through which a user can enter the IM address of the IM user. For example, mobile phones typically utilize E.164-based numbering mechanisms (i.e., using digits, * symbol, and # symbol) to setup a conversation (typically using the Q.931 protocol). Addressing in the IM space, and in the Internet in general, is done using Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and/or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) types of addresses and/or email addresses (which use both letters and digits). This makes it impossible to enter an IM address in typical mobile phones. Moreover, even if E.164-based numbering mechanisms could be used to identify IM address, the volume of IM addresses would require very long E.164 addresses. Therefore, it is desirable to provide IM-to-mobile phone services where both the IM user and the mobile phone user can initiate calls. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to these and other important objectives.